


Bucky's Girl

by Bowiegirl47



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2018-05-30 05:20:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 12,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6410440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bowiegirl47/pseuds/Bowiegirl47
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You were Bucky's girl before the WWII. Steve thought you were dead until he found you. Life is about to get a whole lot more interesting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

You stood clutching Bucky’s arms like the rest of the girls in the crowd.

“Promise me you’ll be safe,” you begged Bucky. Bucky chuckled and kissed your forehead. 

“Of course I’ll be careful. I’ll be back before you can miss me, Doll,” Bucky comforted with a cocky smile.

“That’s not possible,” you whispered before pulling him in for a kiss. You only broke apart when you heard the call for the men. “I love you,” you told him before giving him a peck.

“I love you too.” Bucky turned to Steve. “Hey, Steve, watch out for y/n, alright?” he said as he patted Steve on the shoulder. Steve nodded and returned the gesture.

Bucky pulled you in his arms again. “Before I go, I need you to do something for me,” he told you.

“Anything.”

“Hold on to this,” he said and held out a simple diamond ring. You gasped, and your eyes went wide. 

“Bucky…” you whispered.

“Marry me when I get back,” Bucky whispered in your ear.

“Yes,” you squealed before pulling him in for another kiss. Bucky broke the kiss with a chuckle.

“Now, I really have to go, Doll. But I’ll be back. I promise.” You and Steve waved back at Bucky as he joined the other soldiers. Once he was out of sight, you looked down at the ring on your finger and gave a sad smile.

——————————————————————————————

Your world had turned upside down at the news of Bucky’s death. And just as you felt like you might have gotten your footing, your world got turned upside down again at the news of Steve’s death. You didn’t know what to do with yourself. You felt empty most of the time. When you felt anything, it was this overwhelming wave of sadness. Sometimes it didn’t even feel real since you had no bodies to bury. You would catch yourself think that any moment they would just walk through the door. When you had almost ended it all, Howard Stark knocked on your door.

He had heard Steve talk about you several times and decided to visit this brave woman himself. He offered you a part in an experiment he was conducting with freezing people to thaw them out in the future. You immediately agreed despite the risks. What did you have to lose?

——————————————————————————————

It was many years later when Steve was walking through the abandoned SHIELD building. Stark had told him that his father use to work here. Some big project that worked and was important for the future. So far, he hadn’t found anything of use. A bunch of papers and out of date technology. That is until he found a door with a warning sign. With a little bit of force, Steve got the door open. 

It was much colder in here. Steve moved around the room until he found a large metal container. He kicked it a few times. He could hear the faint thrum of a running machine. Steve saw the tiny window on the container and wiped away the frost.

“Y/n?” he gasped. Inside the metal freezer was you, looking as if you were peacefully asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky shows up at your doorstep after the events of The Winter Soldier

It was quite an adjustment once you thawed out. The world had gotten and bigger and busier in a hurry, but thankfully you had Steve. You both in the same boat, and he knew what you were going through. The other Avengers were helpful as well. Natasha helped you get use to the new fashions that you thought showed way too much skin. However, you had decided to embrace them with open arms. You had even dyed your hair (your favorite color) once after seeing a woman with pink hair. Tony, Howard’s son, had helped you get to speed with the technology. He had gotten you a computer and a cell phone, and he had showed you how to use them. However, you spent very little time with Tony since he had deemed you and Steve “The Capsicle Crew”. Steve and you had depended on each other to get use to this strange new world. You each had your own notebook where you would write things you didn’t know about in, and then you would google them together. You had movie nights to also try to catch up. Sometimes, Natasha would even join you two.Tony had also offered you a job at Stark Industries. No matter what time it seemed, paper work stayed the same, and for that, you were thankful.

——————————————————————————————-

It was another boring day when you went on your lunch break. The tv at a local café was on when the fight started. Natasha and Steve were fighting some man with a metal arm. You watched with utter horror and wondered what had made Steve freeze. Once the news coverage cut off, you immediately started to call Steve’s cellphone. You must have called a dozen of times, but they all went straight to voicemail.

“Dammit, Steve,” you grumbled as you strolled into your apartment later that day. You flopped down on your couch and turned on the history channel before quickly falling asleep.

You were woken up by the ringing of your phone. You sleepily grabbed it and held it to your ear.

“Hello?” you mumbled.

“y/n,” Steve’s voice rang through the phone. You instantly sat up, more awake.

“Steve? Are you ok? Where are you?”

“I’m fine. I can’t tell you where I’m at, but I’m safe.” You breathed a sigh of relief.

“What happened out there, Steve?”

“HYDRA.”

“HYDRA? I thought they died out in the war.”

“No, and there is something else you should know, n/n. They have Bucky.”

“Bucky?” you gasped. You glanced down at your ring. It never left your finger.

“But he’s not himself, y/n. He didn’t even remember his name.”

“But he’s alive, right?” You heard Steve sigh.

“Yes, he’s alive. Look, I have to go. Stay safe.”

“Stay safe, Steve,” you said before putting the phone down in the cradle. There was no way now you were going to be able to sleep.

——————————————————————————————-

It was a couple of days after the major fight at SHIELD HQ. You were overjoyed that Steve was alright, but you couldn’t help but wish you knew where Bucky was.

As you got closer and closer to your apartment, you saw a tall figure with a baseball cap on.

“I have a stun gun,” you called out as you got closer. The figure turned, and you almost fainted. “Bucky?” you called as you leaned against the wall for support. Bucky awkwardly stood there shifting his weight from one foot to the other. You ran at him and engulfed him in a hug. He flinched, but he didn’t try to pull out of the hug or return it. “Are you alright?” you questioned as you grabbed his face and looked him over. He had several cuts and bruises, but he didn’t look too bad.

I…I didn’t know where to go. You…you were in the pictures with him and me,” he explained. You understood what he was trying to stay. You had been in some of the pictures at the Captain America exhibit, and he had found you.

“I understand. Um…do you know who I am? What my name is?” you asked shyly as you fiddled with your keys. Bucky shook his head, and your heart dropped. “Alright. Yeah. Ok, well come on in. Let me clean those cuts,” you told him as you ushered him into your apartment.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky has flashback to his days as the Winter Soldier

Bucky had been living with you for a couple of months without much change. He was getting better and adapting to the new world, but he hadn’t been able to remember much of his old life. It was frustrating for you, but you were simply content to have him back in your life. Since Bucky’s return, the Avengers had started weekly family dinner and game nights that you and Bucky were invited to. It was nice to be surrounded by friends and people you considered to be family. Plus, it was nice not to be the only one cooking since Bucky and Steve were hopeless in a kitchen.

You were finishing washing the dishes when Steve cornered you.

“So, I was talking to Bucky to see what he remembered…”

“And? Steve, Honey, I live with him.”

“When are you going to tell him that you’re his fiancée?” You spun around and glared at him.

“Now is not the time, Steve.”

“You have to tell him,” Steve insisted.

“Oh, yeah, cause that would go over well. ‘Hey, Bucky? I know you don’t remember, but you know the ring around my neck? Yeah, you used it to propose to me, now what do you think about a spring wedding?’ That would go over well,” you spat at him, your voice dripping in sarcasm. Steve stared at you for a moment before sighing.

“Fine. I’ll tell him.”

“Steven Grant Rogers! You will do no such thing,” you yelled.

Steve opened his mouth to retort when Tony shouted, “Steve, y/n, get your butts in here or we’re starting without you.”

Steve and you glared at each other before Steve murmured, “Later.” You huffed before grabbing a couple of drinks and heading into the living room.

“So, Tony, what’re we playing?”

“We are playing a video game,” Tony announced. “You do know how to play those, right, Grandma?” he teased. You threw a bottle of water at his head.

“Yes, Smartass, I know how to play. Which ones?” You moved to stand behind Bucky and placed a hand on his shoulder when the menu screen for some war game came up, and a gunshot rang out. Before you knew it, you were thrown into the glass coffee table and then thrown into a wall. You tried to catch your breath as the rest of the Avengers tried to get Bucky under control while Clint rushed to you while he was on the phone calling 911.

——————————————————————————————-

Several hours later, you were back at the Tower after your trip to the ER. Everyone had decided that it would be better for you to stay the night. You were walking to your room for the night when you stopped in front of the door across the hall. With a sigh, you pushed open the door enough to see Bucky perched at the end of the bed with his head in his hands.

“Hey, Buck,” you called. Bucky jumped before staring at you and freezing. “Can I come in?” He nodded. You slowly walked over and sat next to Bucky. He stiffened as if preparing for a blow. “Are you alright?” That apparently set Bucky off.

“Am I okay? Am I okay? You’re the one who got thrown into a coffee table and and a wall. I’m the one who should be asking you if you’re okay!” Bucky had gotten up and started pacing as he shouted. You calmly stood up and cupped his face.

“It’s okay. I’m still alive. I’m still breathing. Stop trying to pretend you’re okay.” Bucky visible relaxed.

“I want to be okay.”

“I know you do, but it takes time. Do you know how long it took for Steve to stop having nightmares or for him to stop freaking out when he touched cold water? Do you know how long it took for me to stop screaming at night because I thought I was drowning again when Stark froze me? These things take time. Stop fighting it.” Bucky sighed and wrapped you in his arms for a hug when you hissed in pain. Bucky immediately froze and took a step back.

“It’s alright,” you comforted. “I just have a broken rib and some stitches. I’ve had worse.”

“Yeah, like the time you fell down the stairs,” Bucky said with a smile before his eyes went big. “And…I had to carry you practically everywhere. I remember that.”

“See?” you told him with a smile. “It just takes time.” Bucky returned your smile before pulling you in for a gentle hug.


	4. Laughter (Bucky's girl interlude)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Bucky laughs, you know everything is going to be okay

You remembered the first time Bucky laughed after HYDRA. He had been living with you for a little while. You worried about him constantly in those days. He sat there most days, face blank. You would try to pull him into conversations, but he would ignore you. You started to worry that he would never be your Bucky again. That is, until Steve came to visit.

Steve came to live with you while Tony prepared his apartment at the Tower. The first morning Steve was there, you woke up to the smell of something burning. You sprang out of bed and ran to the kitchen. You immediately spotted Steve in the kitchen with a brown lump in your frying pan. 

“Steve,” you yelled as you flung the windows open before taking the pan out of his hands, dumping the contents in the trash, and placing the trash can out on the fire escape. Once the windows were shut, you turned on Steve. You grabbed a dish towel and started whacking him with it. “What. Do. You. Think. You. Were. Doing?” you said, emphasizing each pause with a whack. “You know you can’t cook!”

You only stopped your assault on Steve when you heard a deep laugh fill the room. It was one of the sweetest sounds you had ever heard. You and Steve turned to see Bucky almost falling out of his chair, his face starting to turn red from the lack of air. His laughter was so contagious that you and Steve started laughing too. That’s when you knew that everything would be ok.


	5. Interlude 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Singing to Bucky every night keeps the nightmares away

You don’t remember when the nightmares started. You do remember when the first one happened.

You were awoken by a blood-curdling scream. Adrenaline coursed through your veins as you raced towards the scream. You struggled to remember some of the moves that Natasha had shown you to defend yourself. You flung the door open to only see Bucky writhing on the bed.

“Bucky, Honey, wake up! It’s just a dream,” you told him as you tried to wake him. His eyes popped open and frantically searched around the room before settling on you.

“Y/n?” he gasped.

“It’s me. You’re okay. You’re safe,” you comforted.

“Where am I?”

“You’re in my apartment. You’re safe.” Bucky took several deep breathes. When he finally seemed calm, you sat down on the bed next to him. “Are you okay?” Bucky nodded but he still seemed out of breath. You shyly glanced at the clock. “How about I make us some breakfast?” He noted and you grabbed his hand to lead him out.

Bucky settled on the couch as you moved about the kitchen. You softly sang to yourself as you made breakfast.

“Bucky,” you called softly once breakfast was finished. However, you didn’t receive a response. “Bucky,” you called again before deciding to investigate yourself. 

You found Bucky curled up on the couch fast asleep. You found yourself smiling. You swept back his hair of his forehead and placed a kiss before returning back to your bedroom.

That night, you decided to conduct an experiment. You convinced Bucky to have a cup of tea before bed. You sang several soft song as you made a cup of tea, and when you were done, you found Bucky fast asleep. There was no nightmares that night.

——————————————————————————————-

Your new found knowledge had started a new routine in the apartment. When Bucky decided to go to bed, you would silently follow him. You would lay down and read a book and sing while Bucky laid next to you. Sometimes, he would even play with your hair. When he was soundly asleep, you would crawl into your own bed. But sometimes you would fall asleep in Bucky’s bed. You always slept better on those nights.

——————————————————————————————-

You packed with a heavy heart. It was rare that you had to travel because of your job, but sometimes you had to. What worried you the most was that this would be the first time Bucky was left completely by himself since he came back. At least for a few days, you thought to yourself. Bucky had told you that he would be fine, and he promised that he wouldn’t try to burn down the apartment like Steve did. You only hoped that he was right.

Bucky felt a little odd being in your apartment without you there. It’s too quiet, he thought. He never realized all the background sound you made even if it was just the sound of you breathing. He had told you that he would be fine, but Bucky worried about what the night would bring. Your singing was the only thing that kept away the nightmares.

Eventually, he decided to head to bed. when he turned on the light, Bucky found a small package on the pillow that had become yours. He opened it to see a CD wit the words “play me” written on it in your handwriting. He placed the CD in the player and pressed play like you had taught him. A few seconds later, your voice softly flowed from the speakers, and Bucky felt a warmth fill his chest. That night, he nodded off with a smile on his face.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky finally decides to cut his hair, and damn! does he look good!

How Tony talked Bucky into going to one of his parties, you will never know. But Bucky had wanted to go, and he rarely went anywhere by your apartment and the Tower.

“You should probably cut your hair,” you told him at breakfast the morning of the party.

“Why?”

“Cause you are starting to look a bit like a shaggy dog,” you confessed.

“A shaggy dog, huh?” You nodded. “I remember it being short before… well before.” You nodded again.

“The choice is up to you, but I’m just saying,” you told him as you placed a kiss on his cheek and rushed off to work.

You had gotten off work late and had rushed home to get ready for Tony’s party. You ran into your apartment and moved around like a tornado to get ready. You only saw Bucky when you were finished. You gasped at the sight of him. He had finally cut his hair, but it was longer than how it was in the 40′s. It was more modern. A new Bucky.

“Your hair!”

“Yeah, I took your advice. I feel silly though,” he told you as he nervously ran his fingers through his hair.

“No, you don’t look silly. It looks good. You look nice,” you shyly told him. He laughed.

“Oh, so I don’t look like a shaggy dog anymore? I look like a decent human being?” he joked.

“No, I mean you looked good before, it’s just…it’s just different. A good different,” you explained. Bucky laughed again before wrapping an arm around your waist.

“I was just kidding, Doll. C’mon.” Your eyes grew wide which caught Bucky’s attention. “What? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” you told him honestly as a smile found it’s way onto your face. “It’s just been a long time since you called me doll.” Bucky had a smile that matched yours as he lead you out of the apartment.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky still has some issues adapting to his life after HYDRA

Sometimes you loved that Tony was rich. Especially when he was able to practically rent out a good part of Central Park. Who even knew that was a thing? But you guessed many impossible things are possible when you're Tony Stark.

It had all started when you had brought up the idea of a picnic in Central Park to Steve. Before the war, you, Steve, and Bucky would take picnics whenever you could. You three would make a day out of it and call them your "mini vacations". It was the closest thing you guys could afford towards a vacation. Natasha heard you and Steve reminiscing and had brought up that she had never been on a picnic before. Agreement rippled throughout the team. It was then decided that the Avengers would go on a picnic in Central Park. The Fantastic Four and the X-Men had even contacted and had promised to take care of any crisis that should arise.

You were all enjoying the nice weather and food when Clint started to insist on a game of Cops and Robbers.

"What are we, 5?" Tony questioned.

"That mean you don't want to play?" Clint said.

Tony paused for a moment before saying, "I call being a robber."

"What is this Cops and Robbers game?" Thor questioned. You quickly explained the rules to Thor, Vision, and Wanda before everyone split into teams. The Robbers would be Clint, Tony, Bucky, Thor, and Wanda while the Cops were Steve, Natasha, Vision, Sam, and Bruce. You were quickly nominated as the thing to be stolen.

"Wait! Why do I have to be the stolen thing?" you asked, outraged. 

"It makes the teams even," Steve answered.

"And we don't wish to harm you since you have not had proper training," Thor chimed in.

"And you're tiny," Tony added with a smirk. "Anyone would be able to carry you." With a huff, you accepted your position and sat down on the bench.

"Alright, I have the uniform for the robbers," Clint announced as he pulled out purple bandanas and black sunglasses for his team. 

"What, you just carry this stuff around?" you teased Clint.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Clint responded with a wink. The robbers quickly placed their bandanas on except Bucky who seemed to be having some trouble. "Her, I got ya, man," Clint said as he pushed the sunglasses on Bucky's face and started to wrap the bandana around. Bucky froze before ripping the sunglasses off and knocking Clint to the ground. Bucky stared at Clint, almost as if he was not sure how he got there, before walking away quickly. Everyone rushed to make sure Clint was alright, but he just waved them off. "I'm a damn assassin, not a glass figurine." He looked over to you. "Go make sure he's ok," he told you. You nodded and picked up the bandana and glasses before taking off in Bucky's direction.

You found him a little ways away, sitting on a bench and taking deep breaths.

"Hey, are you alright?" you asked him as you sat down and rubbed his arm in a soothing manner.

"I'm sorry," Bucky murmured.

"Hey, Clint's ok. He's had worse hits. Everyone just wants to make sure that you're okay." Bucky sighed and ran his hand through his hair before rubbing the back of his neck.

"I just...I couldn't do that. When that stuff covered my face... I felt like I was back with HYDRA." You nodded and wrapped your arms around him as best as possible.

"Okay, so no things on your face. Got it. No worries," you comforted. You took the bandana out of your pocket and secured around his wrist. "There. Now you're still a part of the team." Bucky smiled at you. "But I'm keeping the sunglasses," you told him as you lead him back to the group.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey everyone! I hope you are enjoying the story so far! However, I need your help for the next chapter. I need help choosing a dog breed and choosing a name for the dog. I have three breeds that I am considering, but you are more than welcome to recommend more!

The first one: A Staffordshire bull terrier (Staffy for short)

The second one: a golden retriever

The third one: a husky

I also need names! So let me know which one I should us and what it's name should be! Thank you all again!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You have a very special surprise for Bucky

You approached your apartment as quietly as possible with a big smile. You had a surprise for Bucky, and you knew that he would love it. You cracked the door open.

"Bucky," you called out.

"Yeah?"

"I want you to sit in the living room and close your eyes." Bucky peeked out of the kitchen and raised his eyebrow.

"Why?"

"Because I have a surprise for you."

"So you have to give it to me in the living room?" You rolled your eyes and huffed.

"Do you want your surprise or not?" Bucky raise his hands in surrender with a smile before moving to follow your directions. You waited for a few seconds before moving inside.

 

Bucky could hear you open and close the front door. He wondered what this surprise actually was. You had given Bucky little "surprises" before. Usually, you had required him to close his eyes and hold out his hands.

He heard you shush something which made him even curiouser. Maybe Steve was back early from his mission? Bucky didn't have long to ponder what the surprise may be when he felt a tongue lick his whole face.

 

You laughed at the shocked expression on Bucky's face as his eyes flew open to see a beautiful brindle Staffordshire Bull terrier.

"Hey, boy," Bucky greeted with a laugh as the Staffy continued to lick his face. You quickly pulled out your phone to record the scene. "Alright, get down," Bucky said after a few moments. The Staffy obeyed but refused to leave Bucky's side.

"Surprise," you said, throwing out your arms.

"Thanks, Doll, but why did you get me a dog?" You knelt down next to the dog to scratch behind his ears. That's when Bucky finally noticed the missing leg.

"This poor thing was abused as a puppy," you told him. "That's how he lost a leg. But the most important thing is he survived. And now he's a service dog for people with PTSD." Bucky frowned at that. "I know you don't like to admit that you have PTSD, but you do have it, and that's okay. And I thought that maybe this would help. You don't have to take him everywhere, but you can if you feel like it. I got the paperwork and everything. Even a cute vest for this little guy." Bucky was quiet once you finished speaking. You simply sat there, waiting.

"Thank you, y/n," he whispered.

"You're welcome," you told him with a smile. "Now, he still needs a name."

"Miller," Bucky said. "After Glenn Miller." Your throat tightened at Bucky's answer to where all you do was nod.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
It was a few days later when Bucky started to head home after a few drinks with Steve. Miller had only been around for a short time, but he already was a part of the family. Bucky found out that he liked taking Miller places. It was like a safety blanket, and that allowed Bucky to relax more. You two had also realized that Miller was already very protective of Bucky. While he was still well-behaved, if Miller thought that a stranger was getting too close to Bucky for comfort, he would growl out a warning.

Bucky quietly opened the apartment door to see it was dimly lit by the tv. He approached the couch to hear growling. Miller stood over you as you slept, growling at this unknown intruder. As Bucky got closer, Miller finally saw that it was him and relaxed.

"Good boy, Miller," Bucky whispered. "Y/n is very special. So, you take extra care to protect her when I'm not around." Miller wagged his tail in agreement. Bucky scooped you up in his arms and headed to bed with Miller at his heels.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
After about a week, you and Bucky decided to finally introduce Miller to the rest of the gang. Everyone loved him, and once Miller warmed up to everyone, he was quite happy to have more people to play with. You watched as Thor and Miller played tug of war while Tony stood to the side with a Starkpad in hand. You were pretty sure that he was trying to figure out how to make Miller a leg. You were so absorbed that you jumped when Steve came and wrapped an arm around your waist.

"Miller was a good idea," he told you. You nodded. "How did you react to the name?" You sighed.

"I couldn't really speak. I didn't know he even remembered Glenn Miller. And when he said it, it kinda felt like a sucker punch in the gut, you know?"

 

Steve knew exactly what you meant. When you and Bucky officially became a couple, you two always argued what was "your song". You always said it was "Where or When" because it was the first song you danced to as a couple. However, Bucky disagreed. He always said that it was "Dream a Little Dream of Me". You argued that you two were just little kids when you danced to that, but Bucky always said that he had loved you even then. Steve thought you were both wrong.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_"Bucky, I'm cooking dinner!"_

_"And? It's just one dance. We won't starve," Bucky said as he dragged you away from the stove. "Stevie, make sure nothing burns," he instructed from the record player. You shook your head but stayed there. A few second later, "You Stepped Out of a Dream" started to drift through the tiny apartment._

_Steve checked the food real quick before watching the two of you sway back and forth with your foreheads touching. No matter the time or place, any time Bucky heard "You Stepped Out of a Dream", he would sweep you into his arms and dance with you until it ended. Now that Bucky had bought the record, he was sure that he would be seeing this scene more often. With a smile, Steve turned back to the stove._

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Steve gave you a one-armed hug and a kiss on your forehead. He hated seeing you like this. He understood why you didn't want to tell Bucky about your past relationship. You didn't want Bucky to feel like he was being forced into anything, but Steve knew better. He knew that you were really afraid that maybe you both had changed too much and Bucky didn't want you anymore which was ridiculous. The whole team could see the way you two pined over each other. Tony had even started a bet of when you two would finally get together.

Like lighting, Steve was hit with an idea. All he need was Tony's help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Staffy won! It was very close between to the staffy and the husky. To all those that wanted a husky, just keep reading ;)
> 
> Thanks to marmar213 for the name of Miller! It help add a nice little touch to the story, even though it made me have to do some research to incorporate it in.
> 
> As a side note: if you are considering a dog, please consider a Staffy. They are incredibly sweet dogs, but they have a bad rap. They do come from the Pit Bull family, but they are not Pit Bulls. They are energetic and very loving. I have one myself, and she is the best dog I could ever ask for. They are quite a handful, but if you are up for the challenge, do it.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Bucky's birthday!

"You okay with this, Buck?" you questioned as you fidgeted with your dress.

"It doesn't bother me. Besides, you look real nice, Doll." You felt yourself blush.

"Well, you don't look so bad yourself, Soldier." In honor of Bucky's birthday, Tony had decided to throw him a 40's style party. Tony had even gone so far as to get outfits for everyone. You were in a beautiful red dress while Bucky was wearing a uniform almost identical to his old one.

It brought up a lot of old memories, but you were willing to put them aside tonight for Bucky.

"I bet Tony went over the top," you said. Bucky laughed.

"No doubt." 

Finally, you two arrived at the doors for the party.

"Ready?" you asked Bucky. Bucky just smiled and threw open the doors. Both of your mouths opened in shock. The party was in full swing with everyone in period clothing. Red, white, and blue hung everywhere with a band playing on a stage in the middle.

"Wow," you breathed.

"Now, I'm scared to see what he does for Steve's birthday," Bucky said causing both of you to burst into laughter. You two quickly made your way through the room in search of the gang.

"Do you even know any of these people?" you asked.

"No, but you know Stark's motto for parties: the bigger the better." That's when you spotted the team at one big table on the side.

"Happy Birthday man," Clint greeted with a pat on Bucky's back. "Now, I'm going to steal your girl for a dance." Clint grabbed your hand and dragged you to the dance floor while flashing a cheeky smile in Bucky's direction.  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
You were having a blast at the party except you weren't able to spend much time with the birthday boy. It was almost like certain people were keeping you separated. So far, you had danced with everyone on the team at least twice except Steve. And anytime you got off of the dance floor, one of the girls would whisk Bucky away. It was very suspicious.

You interrogated Steve when he finally asked you to dance. "Steven Grant Rogers, are you and the team up to something?"

"Why would you think that?"

"Well, I doubt that it's a coincidence that all of you have been able to keep Bucky and me away from each other all night."

"I have no idea what you are talking about. Besides, it is a party for Bucky's birthday. He's a popular man tonight," Steve defended.

"Steve, Honey, you are a really bad liar. So, tell me what's really going on." Steve just shrugged his shoulders in reply.

"Alright, all of you have gotten a chance to dance with this pretty lady. It's my turn," you heard Bucky say as he came up behind Steve. 

"I guess I can allow that," Steve teased with a wink before handing you over.

"Well, hi there, stranger," you greeted with a bright smile once you were in Bucky's arms.

"Do I know you from somewhere? Because you look kinda familiar." Both you and Bucky chuckled. That's when the music changed, and the band began to play "You Stepped Out of a Dream". "I know this song," Bucky said. "I just can't quite remember where I know it from."

You swallowed the lump in your throat before answering. "Probably remember it from the radio we use to have on all the time," you told him.

"Maybe," he murmured. Slowly, Bucky started to pull you closer to him to where your foreheads were touching. "This feels right with this song," he muttered. You had never wanted to kiss him more than at that moment.

"Bucky-" "Shh." Carefully, Bucky grabbed your chin. Your eyes fluttered close as you felt his breath on your lips. You waited for the press of his lips on yours when "Happy Birthday to You" filled the room. You two jumped apart at the song as a tall, American flag cake was wheeled out to Bucky with 97 little candles around it.

(just imagine two more tiers added to it)

"Make a wish," you told him as everyone finished singing. Bucky thought for a moment before taking a deep breath and blowing out a few candles. Bucky kept taking deep breaths and blowing out candles until they were all blown out.

"Feel a little light-headed," Bucky announced to the much amused crowd. 

"That's what happens when you get old," Tony teased.

"Yeah, well this old man can still kick your ass, Stark," Bucky retorted. Bucky pulled you close as the cake started to be handed out. You couldn't help but smile, especially when you got the chance to smear icing across Bucky's face.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You host a fashion show, and Bucky speaks his mind.

“Where have you been?” Steve asked as you entered your apartment. 

“Shopping. Would you like to see?” Steve shrugged his shoulders. “Well too bad. I need to know if they look good on me or if I need to return it,” you told him.

“Didn’t you try it on in the store?”

“Yes, but I need a second opinion.”

“Why?” You patted Steve on the shoulder.

“You have so much to learn about women,” you told him solemnly. Steve huffed but laid down his paper. He crossed his arms with smile and raised an eyebrow as if telling you to get on with it. “Good choice,” you tease before scurrying off to your room.

 

When Bucky arrived back, he found Steve lying across the couch with an expression that indicated he’d much rather be anywhere but here.

“What’s going on?” he questioned.

“Y/n, is giving a fashion show,” Steve murmured. Bucky smirked as he sat down his keys and wallet in the bowl. He heard your door open as he entered the kitchen.

“That one is pretty,” he heard Steve comment. “Bucky, doesn’t she look beautiful?”

Before Bucky could even think he opened his mouth. “Of course she does. She always does.” Bucky froze. He slowly turned around to see you blush before returning back to your room. He looked over to Steve to see his smirking at Bucky. “What?”

“Nothing,” Steve said as his smirk grew. Bucky was about to question him further when you returned back in normal clothes and settled down in the living room.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky remembers a pick up line

You paused in the hallway to check your hair and makeup before you left for Stark’s party. 

Pepper was away on business, Wanda had plans with Vision, and Natasha scarred him, so you were Tony’s only option for a business party that he was being forced to attend.

You turned to Bucky’s direction. “Alright, what do you think?” you asked as you smoothed out the wrinkles in your floor-length dress. Bucky looked up from his book before he looked you up and down. He smirked and sat his book down before approaching you.

“That dress looks stunning on you.” You smiled as you looked down at your dress. Bucky messed with your necklace before tucking a lock of hair behind your ear. “It would look even better on my floor.” 

Your head snapped up in shock. Bucky’s eyes went wide as he suddenly realized what he had said. “Sorry. I have no control over my mouth. It just sort of popped into my head.” You giggled at his obvious discomfort. You kissed him on the cheek before grabbing your clutch.

“Thank you,” you told him on your way out. Bucky continued to stare at the door even after you left. He couldn’t help but feel jealous that you were going to be with Stark and not with him.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky speaks Russian when he's upset.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So just as a warning: I used google translate for this chapter. If it's wrong, I'm sorry. If someone wants to check the translation and tell me the right ones, I will be eternally grateful.

Even though Miller had helped Bucky a lot, there were still times when Miller couldn’t help. When Bucky would have these moments, he would start sprouting off in Russian until he finally calmed down. Missions were always the worst, especially HYDRA missions. It always scared you when he came back from one of those missions.  
You were tidying up your apartment when your phone buzzed.

“Need you ASAP. Helijet lands in 30 minutes.” the text read from Steve. Your blood ran cold before spring into action. You grabbed Miller and ran over to the Tower where you impatiently waited. 

When you finally spotted the helijet, you got even more anxious, and Miller started to whine. You tried to sooth him as you watched the hatch open. Steve jogged out.

“He’s speaking Russian,” he said before leading you into the helmet. You saw the team forming a loose circle around Bucky, who was huddle in a corner, muttering to himself.

“Bucky,” you called hesitantly, but he didn’t respond. Miller whined again. You let him go. He charged at Bucky and licked his face.

“Хорошая собака. Хорошая собака,” he muttered. You settled down next to him and rubbed his arm.

“It’s okay, Buck. You’re safe now. Shh,” you whispered.

“Я ненавижу их. Ненавижу, как они это сделали со мной. Я ненавижу, что я так поступил из-за них. Я хочу убить их всех.” It frustrated you to no end that you had no clue what he was saying. The only thing you could was wrap him in your arms and try to sooth him until he spoke English again.  
The next day you finally decided to do something about it.

“Hey, Nat,” you asked her at breakfast, “can you help me with something?” Natasha raised an eyebrow but nodded.

“Sure, what do you need me to do?” With a smile, you told her your plan.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was only a couple of months later when you fully got to enact your plan. You were down in the gym with Steve and Sam when Nat’s voice came over the intercom.  
“Y/n, кухня (kitchen),” she said. Steve and Sam looked confused, but you immediately rushed to the elevator. When you got up to the kitchen, you found Bucky smashing dishes on the ground.

“Баки, стоп (Bucky, stop),”you yelled, freezing him in his tracks. “Я получаю, что Тони иногда может быть задницей, но это не повод для разрушения его кухни (I get Tony can be an ass sometimes, but that’s not a reason to destroy his kitchen),” you joked in the hopes that it would snap Bucky out of it. It seemed to do the trick.

“Вы ... вы говорили по-русски? (You...you spoke Russian?)” You nodded as you took the plate from his hands and set it on the counter.

“Наташа учит меня (Natasha has been teaching me),” you told him as you wrapped your arms around his waist. “Она довольно классный учитель. (She’s a pretty tough teacher.)” Bucky chuckled softly.

“Зачем? (Why?)” You looked up at him and stroked his face.

“Потому что я не хотел, чтобы ты чувствовал себя одиноким. Вы говорите по-русски, поэтому я тоже научился говорить по-русски. (Because I did’t want you to feel alone. You speak Russian, so I learned to speak Russian, too.)” Bucky sighed and squeezed you tight in his arms.

“Я не заслуживаю тебя (I don’t deserve you),” he whispered.

“Не говори так. Просто знай, что я всегда буду здесь для тебя. (Don’t say that. Just know that I will always be here for you.)”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *peeks out* Please don't kill me! Also if your heart isn't broken enough, go see what Bucky said in Russian when I didn't translate.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You finally confess some things to Bucky and he has a surprise for you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi y’all! I just wanted to give a little warning. I don’t think there are any specific trigger warnings but reader does discuss and go into a vivid description of what happened to her when she was frozen. Just be careful and look after yourself!

You stood out on your balcony wrapped in a heavy coat as you took deep breaths.

“Y/n? You okay?” Bucky asked as he joined you.

“I’m fine,” you said.

“No, you’re not fine. What’s up?”

“I said I’m fine,” you snapped at him. Bucky wrapped his arms around you and hugged you from behind.

“No, you’re not. You come out here wrapped in a heavy winter coat. It’s 70 degrees out here. And then you wake me up by pounding on the walls as if you were running for your life. Now, what’s wrong?” You took a deep breath and sighed.

“I got cold,” you mumbled.

“What?”

“I got cold, alright! I woke up bundled up in my blankets, and I was freezing. So, I panicked.” Bucky stayed silent, but he held you tighter. “I hate the cold. I can stand it when it snows because I like the snow and everything, but it just brings back the memories.”

“What memories?” You closed your eyes and focused on your breathing before answering.

“The memories of when I was frozen. Stark didn’t really know how bad it was because the capsule was soundproof.” You paused and tried to keep from crying. “It felt like I was drowning. I tried to escape or pound on the sides, but I couldn’t move. I tried to scream, but that only allowed the water to flood my lungs. You know usually when water gets into your lungs it burns. But it didn’t. It felt like it was trying to freeze me from the inside out. I just felt so helpless. I could either drowned or freeze, and I just-”

“Shh. It’s okay,” Bucky comforted. He turned you around, and you wept into his chest. “You’re safe now. I promise nothing will happen to you,” he whispered into your ear.

When you finally calmed down, Bucky led you back inside to his room.

“What are you doing?” you asked.

“You’re sleeping in my bed tonight. One good thing about being a super soldier is that you are always warm,” he joked. You were too tired to even try arguing. You simply crawled into bed and snuggled close to Bucky before sleep claimed you.

——————————————————————————————-

It was a few days later when you heard a strange noise coming from your apartment. It sounded like a little dog barking. You cautiously opened the door to see Bucky sitting in the middle of the floor, laughing, while Miller chased a small black and white blur.

“Um, what’s going on here?” Bucky turned and smiled. He grabbed the little blur for you to see that it was a husky puppy.  
  
“Say hello to Daisy,” Bucky said while waving the puppy’s little paw while she nawed on his hand. You couldn’t help but smile at the adorable sight. You knelt down and took the puppy from Bucky.

“Well, hello there, Daisy. Why is she here?”

“She’s to keep you warm at night,” Bucky explained in a nonchalant way. You felt your eyes water, but you managed to keep the tears at bay. You released Daisy for her to play with Miller. You leaned over and kiss Bucky on the cheek.

“Thank you,” you whispered.  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Thank you to the-g1rl-wh0-r3ads for the name of Daisy! Now I need your help again! This will be coming up in the next few chapters. Which tattoo should I use?

Tattoo #1 : 

Tattoo #2: 

Tattoo #3: 

Tattoo#4: 

Tattoo #5: 


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Bucky move into a bigger place and Bucky deals with some feelings

You sat on the couch as you watched the Avengers play around with Miller and Daisy. You smiled softly.

"So, is that yours and Barnes's thing now? Giving each other dogs?" Tony asked as he sat down beside you.

"Shut up," you murmured but it held no bite to it. "It was sweet."

"And why a husky? Couldn't he have gone for something a bit smaller?"

"It's because they are made for cold climates," you explained with a small secretive smile. "But he probably could have gone smaller. I'm just thankful she's small for now so I have some time to find a new place."

"You're moving?" Tony asked as he placed his arm around your shoulders. You shrugged.

"It was already getting cramped with me, Bucky, and Miller. Now with Daisy, my apartment's too small. I've already starting looking at a couple of houses outside the city. I would love to stay in the city, but I just can't afford a bigger apartment. I don't know. Maybe I'll look at some places in Brooklyn."

"Well, I think you are missing the obvious choice," Tony said. You raised your eyebrow.

"Oh yeah? And what's that?" Tony smiled and patted your leg.

"Follow me," he instructed. Wondering what Tony could possibly be talking about, you reluctantly followed him to the elevator.  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
After some persuasion from Tony, you now stood in the elevator with your eyes closed. You heard the elevator ding, and Tony slowly lead you out.

"Alright, you can open 'em now." You opened your eyes to find yourself in a quite spacious apartment. The far wall was completely glass with two hallway breaking off of the room. An open kitchen was to your right where you could see all the latest appliances. You walked further into the living room and circled around.

"I know it looks boring now, but you can decorate it how you like. It's got a few bedrooms and two bathrooms so you don't have to share with Robocop if you don't want to. And there's plenty of room for your furry love children to run about without breaking stuff. And the best part: it's free." You covered your mouth with your hand and shook your head. Finally, you found your voice. 

"Thank you, Tony, but this is just too much." Tony shrugged that off.

"I had it made for Frosty when he finally joined the team. I would have given it to him already if I didn't think he would take off my head if I suggested he moved anywhere without you. And I'm quite attached to my head. Got my rugged good looks and my genius brain," Tony rambled. You chuckled at Tony before looking around the apartment again. "Just think about it, kay?" Tony asked. "Steve's the floor right above you, and I'm sure you can find a babysitter any time you and the One Arm Wonder wanted to have a night on the town or whatever you two do," Tony told you as he lead you back to the elevator. "Just talk it over with Barnes and let me know."  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
It was less than a week later that you gave Tony the answer that you would move into the apartment. He had simply smirked and nodded before walking away. However, Tony being Tony started to assault you with text messages asking about paint colors, flooring, furniture, etc. But that couldn't make a dent in the happiness of it all. You were happy to finally have a place that would be a mixture of you and Bucky. You two decided together on every decision. It made you think that this was what would have been if you and Bucky had gotten married and moved into your own house before the war.

Soon enough, the apartment was complete and all that was needed what for you to pack everything up and move in. Bucky and Steve did most of the packing while you were at work which made it go much quicker than if you had done it yourself. Before you knew it, everything was packed except the essentials.

A move in day was set. Of course on said moving day, an urgent mission popped up taking most of the team away. The only ones left were Tony, Sam, and Thor. With only minimal arguments ("This couch looks like it belongs in a grandma's house, y/n." "Tony, I AM old enough to be someone's grandma." "....I'm getting you new furniture."), all your furniture and boxes had been packed up into the moving van and unloaded at the Tower. However, when it finally came to unpacking, your group was called in for reinforcements on the mission, leaving you to unpack by yourself. You made a small dent in the boxes before calling it a night.  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
When Bucky entered the apartment that morning, the first thing he saw was boxes. You had seemed to try to organize them into piles, but you had gotten fed up and just started making stacks of them. Bucky looked at his watch and decided that he would surprise you with breakfast. After a few minutes of searching for everything he needed, Bucky started cooking.

He was just finishing the pancakes, when he heard the familiar sounds of nails on the wooden floor. Bucky smiled as the dogs circled him and licked his legs.

"Yes, I'm happy to see you heathens, too. Now, go lay down," Bucky instructed after feeding them both a small piece of bacon.

"Hey," Bucky heard you call behind him, sleep still thick in your throat. "I wasn't expecting you until this afternoon."

"We got down early, and I know you had to unpack by your-" Bucky's mouth could no longer form words as he turned to look at you. Your hair was tousled and you were trying to rub the sleep out of your eyes. But the main thing that Bucky could help but stare at was the only thing you were in: one of his shirts. It was one of his button up shirts that he wore on occasion that you always complimented him on. But Bucky now knew that it looked much better on you.

You looked sexy, and Bucky really only had one thought: mine - even though he knew that you weren't his. But there was a tightening in his chest, a sense of pride that it was _his_ shirt you were wearing. That in a way, you were claiming yourself as his even in abstract way.

"Oh, sorry," you said after a minute of silence while Bucky tried to regroup his thoughts. "I hope you don't mind me borrowing one of your shirts. I couldn't seem to find my pajamas." Bucky snapped out of his stupor.

"Yeah, sure, no worries. You can borrow one of my shirts any time."

"Thanks," you murmured. You walked over to him and wrapped your arms around him. "Thank you for making breakfast. That was very thoughtful," you murmured as you looked up at him.

"You're welcome. Um...I'll got walk the dogs real quick," Bucky said as he moved away from you before he did something stupid. Like kiss you.

"You sure?" you asked. "Breakfast might be cold by the time you get back."

"I'll be fine. I can warm it up if it does. And then we'll finish unpacking, alright?"

"Sounds like a plan," you said as you smiled at him before gathering your breakfast on a plate. Bucky stole another glance at you before shaking his head and rounding up the dogs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't voted for the tattoo that you like, please do so!


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You reveal a little secret to the team

July was soon upon you, and everyone was preparing for Steve's birthday. Tony had wanted to do a big blowout like how he had done for Bucky, but Steve had put his foot down. He wanted a simple party with just friends. But it's still Tony we are talking about here. Tony decided to fly everyone out to his newly built mansion in Malibu for a pool party. But just like Steve had requested, it was only the team.

July 4th was a bright sunny day and the perfect weather for a pool party. When you walked out to join the team, you saw Steve and Tony grilling hotdogs and hamburgers while Natasha was sunbathing. Vision, Wanda, and Bruce stood in the shallow end while Bucky, Sam, Clint, and Thor seemed to be trying to drown each other. Steve waved when he spotted you. You sat down next to Natasha and enjoyed the happy atmosphere.

"Hey y/n, come join us," Sam shouted and waved. You shook your head and laughed. "Come on! We're going to play chicken!"

"I'm only getting in if Natasha is," you told him.

"Come on, Nat," Clint yelled. "It's for the good of the team! I need to kick Sam's ass." Natasha looked over at you with a small smile playing at her lips.

"Should we put them out of their misery?" You let loose an exaggerated sigh before smiling.

"I guess." You moved to take off your cover-up when you heard Sam whistle.

"What is that?" he asked. You spun around yourself and looked for anything out of place.

"What is what?"

"That," he said as he pointed to your shoulder. "Is that a tattoo?" You blushed and wrapped your arms around yourself.

"Yes," you answered softly.

"That's hot! What is it?"

"Dog tags," you murmured. You looked up to see Sam motioning you closer. You reluctantly got in the pool and made your way over to the boys. You could feel everyone's eyes on you as they inspected your tattoo. Sam motioned for you to turn around once you were close enough. With a sigh, you showed him your tattoo. 

The group went quiet. After a few minutes, you turned back around. Most of the group had smug looks on their faces except Bucky. Bucky looked at you with such a look of wonder that caused you to blush even more. He slowly made his way over to you and gently traced the tattoo.

"When did you get this?" he whispered in an awed tone.

"3 or 4 months after I was thawed out," you told him. "Nat and Tony helped me pick out the design, and Steve went with me to get it." Bucky nodded but said nothing. "I wasn't allowed to have the originals, so I decided I would make my own," you told him.

when you were first unthawed, one of the first things you did was try to get Bucky's dog tags back. You had argued with the Smithsonian museum for months that those dog tags were rightfully yours because you had been Bucky's fiancée, and it was one of the few things you would have left of him. However, in the end, you had no legal standing to the dog tags since you two hadn't been married. You had been so angry and so heartbroken that you decided to get a tattoo of them so that they would always be with you.

Bucky stayed silent as he continued to trace your tattoo almost as if it might disappear. The quiet moment was soon ruined by Sam.

"So are we playing or not?" You both broke away from each other at the question. You smiled at Sam.

"Of course we are." No one dared mention for the rest of the day how Bucky clung to your side or how during the fireworks he had pulled you into his lap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so the second tattoo won! I tried my hand and actually drawing the tattoo. As you can see there is a reason why I am a writer and not an artist. But I hope that it at least gives you some idea of what the tattoo would look like.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You, Nat, and Clint make a bet.

You walked into the communal kitchen to find Natasha and clint shouting numbers back and forth at each other.

"Do I even want to know what you two are arguing about?" you asked as you poured a cup of coffee.

"We're making a bet on how many magnets we can stick to Bucky's arm without getting caught," Natasha answered.

You snorted into your mug. "Really?"

"Hey, we can pull it off," Clint defended. "We were spies." You paused for a moment before smiling and extending your hand.

"Deal."

 

Clint was the first one to try. And failed miserably. He decided to try his luck while Bucky and Steve were working out on the machines while you and Natasha did yoga. The boys were talking when Clint snuck up and placed two magnets on. The clinking of the metal was easily heard. Bucky looked over at the sound to see Clint trying his best to look innocent. 

"What are you doing over here?" Bucky asked with narrowed eyes. You couldn't really blame him for being suspicious. Clint rarely came over to this part of the gym when he favored the shooting range on the other side.

"Thought I would work out with you guys," Clint answered flashing a cheeky smile.

Bucky narrowed his eyes further before his eye caught the brightly colored plastic clinging to him. "Really man?" Bucky sighed before pulling the magnets off and throwing them across the room. Natasha and you couldn't contain your laughter. You both flopped down on your mats as you watched Clint hang his head and slump away.

 

Natasha was the next one to try. Unlike Clint, Natasha was quite successful. She waited until you and some of the Avengers were in a conversation. She would talk and touch his arm. When her hand would withdraw, a magnet would be left behind with Bucky none the wiser. She had about 15 to 20 magnets before Bucky walked away. It took him about 5 minutes to finally spot one with no clue how they all got there.

 

It was your turn only a couple of weeks later. Clint and Natasha walked into the kitchen while you sipped some tea. You smirked at both of them over your mug. 

"I win," you told them.

"What?" Clint asked.

"I win," you simply answered before pointing over at the couch. Nat and Clint tip-toed over to see Bucky fast asleep with his arm almost completely covered in magnets. "He sleeps like the dead," you whispered before hopping off your stool. "Know your target," you said as you passed them. "Isn't that one of the first things they teach you in spy school?" You walked away to the shocked faces of Nat and Clint.

They both looked at each other as you walked away. "And what sucks is that when he wakes up and finds out, he won't even be mad at her!" Clint almost shouted.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Thanksgiving! Basically pure fluff

You and the team woke up bright and early on Thanksgiving morning. Still dressed in your PJ's and wrapped up in blankets, all of you made your way to the roof of one of Tony"s buildings to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving parade. You, Steve, and Bucky were particularly excited since all of you had never missed a parade since it first started ( or at least any that you could help). You even remembered one year where you had been sick in bed, but Steve and Bucky had snuck you out. Bucky had carried you on his back both ways, and you had caught pneumonia, but you hadn't dare miss this tradition. 

You were particularly excited because this would be Bucky's first year seeing it since the 1940s. You couldn't wait to see his face at how big the parade had gotten. You and Steve had been shocked yourselves at all the floats and balloons. 

You all sat on the ledge of the building (or in your case, Bucky's lap) and cuddled together for warmth. You watched Bucky as his face lit up in amazement at the first balloon and float and found yourself smiling. You all "ooh"ed and "ahh"ed at the performances and balloons. When it was over, the team enjoyed the closeness of the moment before heading back to the Tower.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When you arrived back, you, Wanda, Vision, and Clint made your way into the kitchen to start cooking while the others were effectively banned from entering. However, that didn't stop them for trying. Several times Steve, Bucky, and Tony tried sneaking into the kitchen to taste some of the food. Each time they ended up with a sharp whack of your spoon before they retreated.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later, everyone sat down for dinner. There was enough food to feed an army you thought but with two super soldiers, a god, and 8 "normal" people you guessed it wasn't that much. As you sat down, you felt a smile tug on your lips as you looked around at your family and couldn't help but feel blessed. Before digging in, you all went around the table saying what you were thankful. 

"I'm thankful for everyone here," you said when it was your turn. "I couldn't imagine any people I would rather be with." You grabbed Bucky's hand and squeezed it. "And I feel blessed to be given this opportunity."

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That night when was everyone was still digesting their meal, the team sat around the living room watching Christmas specials. You were cuddled up to Bucky with your feet in Steve's lap. You, Nat, and Wanda were making a game plan for tomorrow's shopping. Bucky played with your hair as he started to doze. 

"So, how was your Thanksgiving?" you asked softly.

A small smile played on his lips. "It was the best yet," he said. You couldn't help but agree with him.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky finally admits his feelings (somewhat)

"Dude, you need to tell her, " Sam said, snapping Bucky out of his thoughts.

"What?"

"You have been staring at that girl for 20 minutes now," Sam pointed out as he motioned to you. You, Natasha, and Wanda were doing each other's nails while gossiping. "You need to tell her about your crush so you can stop being a creepy stalker."

Bucky shook his head. "I don't know what you are talking about." Sam raised an eyebrow at him. Bucky huffed and gathered his stuff. "I'm going to work out," he announced, missing the way your eyes followed him.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Alright, so I think we all know why we are here," Tony said to the team. "We have got to get Frosty and y/n together."

"They are just too stubborn," Natasha commented.

"Well, Barnes is still in denial," Clint pointed out. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"So what do we need to do to have him admit his true feelings for lady y/n?" Thor questioned. The team fell silent as they all tried to think of something. After a few second, Steve smiled.

"I think I know what we need to do."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You were working on some papers in the common room while Bucky sat next to you reading one of his books.

"Hey, Sugar," you heard next to you. You looked up and smiled.

"Hey, Sam. What can I do for you?"

"Did it hurt?" 

You did a quick look over of yourself, confused. "What?"

"Did it hurt?" he repeated with a flirty smile. "When you fell from Heaven?" You laughed and slapped him lightly on the arm. You didn't see Bucky glower even after Sam left.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You were grabbing some coffee and chatting with some of the team when Thor ran over to you with a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

"Lady y/n, these flowers can barely compare to your beauty," he said as he handed them to you. You blinked at him in shock.

"Um...that's very sweet, Thor. Thank you," you finally said. You didn't notice Bucky's huff before he left the room.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bruce headed down to see Tony in one of the labs to make sure his arm was still in working order. He entered the elevator to find you following him.

"Where are you going?" Bucky questioned.

"Bruce asked me to come down. He wanted to show me some of the things that him and Tony have been working on," you explained. The elevator fell silent. Bucky fidgeted, an uneasy feeling coming upon him.

"What's up, Frosty?" Tony called without looking up once the doors had opened. Bucky grumbled under his breath causing you to giggle. Bruce and Tony's heads snapped up at the sound.

"Hey, y/n," Bruce greeted as he came and gave you a hug.

"Alright, dazzle me," you told him with a wide smile. Bruce place a hand on your back as he lead you around.

Bucky watched you and Bruce closely as Tony examined his arm. Normally, Bucky liked Bruce. He was quiet and respected everyone's personal space. But right now, all he could think of was how to rip his arm off. Bruce's arm laid on your lower back and never wavered. You didn't seem to mind as Bruce described in detail each invention while your full attention rested on his word. That arm held all his attention, that Bucky didn't hear a single word that Tony had been saying.

When Tony finished, he tapped lightly on Bucky's shoulder. He jumped and with one last look at Bruce's hand, stormed out. Tony smirked as he watched Bucky leave.

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Bucky was lounging on the couch when he caught a glimpse of you coming out of your room. You were in a tight, simple black dress. You wore your favorite pair of dangling earrings and a long necklace with little silver circles. You hair was messy and looked like something Tony would have called 'sex hair'. Your lips were colored red that matched your high heels. It took all of his self-control not to spring off the couch and drag you back into your bedroom. He was about to ask where you were going dressed like that when there was a knock on the door.

"It's open," you shouted at it as you went to grab your clutch. Opening the door was Clint who whistled when he saw you, making you blush.

"The guys are going to have a hard time keeping their hands off of you. Good thing I won't have to."

"Charmer," you called with a smile. "Are Natasha and Steve downstairs?" Clint nodded. "We're all going out to a club tonight, so I'll see you later," you told Bucky before placing a kiss on his cheek and joining Clint. When you two had left, Bucky sighed and stared at the ceiling for a moment. With another sigh, he got up and grabbed his gym bag.

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Bucky sighed as he entered the gym. The gym had become his place of refuge for the past couple of weeks. He didn't know what had gotten into him recently. He had been filled with such rage when any of the guys even looked at you any more. Bucky sighed again before freezing in his tracks. You were doing a handstand on your forearms. Steve was holding up your legs while trying to have you straighten out your back.

"What are you doing?" Bucky found himself saying. 

"Hey, Bucky," you shouted while Steve waved at him. 

"Nat's on a mission, so I'm helping y/n practice some yoga moves," Steve explained.

"I don't remember yoga involving so much touching," Bucky commented as he watched Steve help you into a new position where you balanced on one arm and one leg while the other arm and leg were extended in the air.

"Well, Nat and I were trying some of the more complicated moves, but I don't quite have the hang of it yet," you told him. "Steve is trying to make sure I do the moves correctly, and that I don't hurt myself." As each second passed, Bucky's vision grew redder. 

"I think I'm going to go for a run instead," he growled when the urge to punch Steve almost became too much.

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The final straw was when you and the team were having lunch one day, and Tony mentioned he had a problem with one of his designs. You offered to help him look it over. You two were hunched over a Starkpad when you pointed out a small flaw in one of the blueprints. Stark cupped your face and kissed you on the lips. It lasted less than a second, but it caused Bucky to see nothing but red. Steve and Sam held him back as you quickly excused yourself from the room to go wash your mouth out. Bucky continued to struggle until he broke free and took a swing at Stark. However, Tony was quick enough to dodge, and Steve grabbed Bucky's arm before he could take another punch.

"You stay away from her," Bucky growled. He tugged himself out of Steve's grasp. "You all stay away from her."

"Why?" Sam questioned to Bucky's retreating back. 

Bucky spun back around. "I love her okay! I love her, so I want you all to stop flirting with my girl," he yelled before finally leaving.

"Mission accomplished," Steve said to the team with a smirk.


	19. Christmas Special

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas works it’s magic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is your Christmas special! I think y’all are going to love it. I know it’s a little early but I will be busy in New York with my family so I thought I would give it to you a little early (I am literally typing up this whole chapter on my phone on the ride up). I hope you all have a Merry Christmas for those that celebrate it. I hope everyone has a lovely time with your family and friends no matter what holiday you celebrate!

After his outburst, Bucky was walking around on eggshells around you and the team. He was afraid that one of the Avengers would tell you what had happened, but all of them had been quiet even Tony. Which allowed Bucky to enjoy your holiday spirit. As far back as he could remember, you were like a child around Christmas, and you always over did with decorations. He remembered many years of you roping him and Steve into decorating the whole apartment. Except now you had a team of superheroes to help you, making the Tower look like a Christmas wonderland. This year had also been fun for him to see you excited about celebrating Hanukkah with Wanda. Back in the day, you, Steve, and Bucky knew about Hanukkah but the team had decided to celebrate it this year to make Wanda happy and you had loved every part of it. Yes, this was Bucky’s favorite time of the year.

What you and Bucky didn’t know was that the team had started plotting and scheming about how to get the two of you together now that Bucky had finally admitted his feelings for you. The plans had ranged from stranding you two on a private island (Tony’s idea of course) to just simply shoving both of you into a closet. But in the end, the team didn't need to do anything.

You and Bucky were walking into the communal living room when the yelled at you.

“Kiss! Kiss,” they chanted. You two looked above your heads to see a small sprig of mistletoe.

“You have to kiss,” Clint shouted with a shit-eating grin. 

“It’s tradition! Look, I even had to kiss Cap,” Tony pointed out. You and Bucky awkwardly looked at each other when you stood up on your tippy-toes and cupped his face before pecking him on the lips. It was only a quick press of your lips on his, but you relished it all the same. You shyly smiled at him as you pulled away before lowering yourself back down.

“There, no traditions broken,” you told the team as you felt your cheeks heat up. You turned to leave when a strong arm held you back. Bucky pulled you back close to him. Before you could even think, Bucky’s lips were back on yours. The kiss started off slow but quickly grew more and more passionate as you two memorized each other’s mouths after so many years. You two only broke apart when you heard the cheers and wolf whistled of the team.

“Get a room,” Tony shouted at you.

Bucky smirked. “You’re right, Stark. Thanks for the rooms downstairs,” he said before leading you to the elevator and pulling you in for another deep kiss.  
————————————————————————————

You sat on the counter, swinging your feet back and forth with a small smile as you watched Bucky cook. It was quite early in the morning. You were dressed in a pair of tiny sleep shorts and one of Bucky’s button-up shirts while Bucky was only in sweatpants.

Bucky looked up from the omelettes he was making to smile at you. “What are you thinking about?” he questioned.

“That you are too far away,” you told him.

“Oh is that right?”

“Yes, because I can’t kiss you.” Bucky reaches up and turned the heat down before walking over and standing in-between your legs.

“Is this better?” he murmured with a smirk.

“Mmm, much,” you told him before pulling him in for a kiss.

“I don’t know what’s worst: this or the sexual tension you use to have,” Sam’s voice rang out causing you to break the kiss. You buried your face into Bucky’s chest while he turned his to greet Sam.

“We didn’t have any eggs-“ Bucky started but Sam just waved him off.

“Dude whatever. Glad you two are happy and finally realised that you love each other. Just finished up whatever this is before Tony crawls his way up here because you will never live it down,” Sam said. He grabbed a bottle of water and left.

“He’s right,” you mumbled into Bucky’s chest. “Tony would tease us about it forever.”

“Hey, F.R.I.D.A.Y,” Bucky said.

“Yes, Sergeant Barnes?”

“Warn us when anyone makes their way to the kitchen.”

“Yes, Sir.” 

Bucky pulled back and cupped your face. “Now, where were we?”  
————————————————————————————

Early on Christmas morning, you and Bucky huddled around your tree to open presents. You two would join the team later, but for your first Christmas back together, you wanted to spend some time alone. You took turns opening presents from the team until the only presents left we’re the ones you got each other.

“Here, open mine first,” you said. Bucky tore the paper off to reveal a big leather book. He opened it to the first page to find a picture of you, Steve, and Bucky right before the war. He slowly flipped through the pages of pictures, Steve’s sketches, and little mementos of your life before WWII (including sheet music for “You’ve Stepped Out of a Dream”). He flipped the page and suddenly the pictures were in color, when he came back to you. The last picture was that kiss shared under the mistletoe with the title “Finally Together Once More”.

“Do you like it?” you asked shyly. “I just... and there are plenty of other pages to hold more pictures and things.”

“It’s beautiful. I love it,” he whispered before giving you a soft kiss. “Thank you.” You ducked your head at the praise. “Now open mine,” he instructed.

You grabbed the tiny box and carefully opened it before gasping. “Are these...?” Bucky smiled and nodded.

“I finally got them back from the Smithsonian.” He reaches in the box to pull out the dog tags and placed them around your neck. Tears sprang to your eyes as you examined them. It was Bucky’s old tags but he also added on a copy of his new ones that he wore with the Avengers.

“Thank you,” you whispered.

“I knew how much they meant to you,” he whispered. “I know how much they meant to you,” he explained. “And they should have gone to you anyways, but they are finally yours now.” You smiled at him before looking at the dog tags once more.

Bucky cupped your cheek and pulled you in for a kiss when you heard a shutter sound. You pulled away to find Bucky looking down at his phone with a smirk. 

“Think we should add it to the scrapbook?” You and Bucky were kissing in the photo with the Christmas lights twinkling behind you, the soft lights glinting off his arm and the dog tags around your neck. You instantly loved it.

“I think it’s perfect,” you told him before kissing him once more.


End file.
